Content to Commerce: Engaging Consumers Across Paid, Owned and Earned Channels

Preface

Eureka moments are rare. What is more, they do not usually arrive in a flash. Instead, they often germinate for a long time—possibly years—before they finally surface full-blown.

A Little History

Prior to 2004, I had spent my entire professional career creating and packaging content for some of the biggest and best-known TV broadcasters in the world. That was my day job. The rest of the time I was a technology geek and, by some definitions, an “early adopter.” Since the days of CompuServe, Prodigy, and eventually America Online (AOL), I was fascinated by the notion of convergence. In the back of my mind I knew that it was just a matter of time before almost all content would go digital and portable. I just did not know exactly how or when.

By 2004, it was evident that I wasn't the only person thinking this way. A great many of us were not only consuming vast amounts of content online, but producing and sharing much of it as well. I knew that we were moving toward an era when the demand for digital would explode, and as a seasoned TV producer, I had enough credibility to help lead the charge. My approach was quite simple: Leverage new technology and cutting-edge production techniques to make high-quality, low-cost digital content for brands and publishers.

In May 2004, I incorporated Savar Media LLC. Armed with a laptop, a used Sony PD150 Mini DVCAM video camera, and a copy of Final Cut software (a start-up cost of less than $5,000), I was in business. Those were the days ...